Exhibition stand guide
What is a trade fair? Specialised, general and B2B fairs
Ömer Faruk Süer · Senior Sales Manager · 3 min read · Last updated:
Short answer
What is a trade fair?
A trade fair is a time-limited market that brings the manufacturers, suppliers and buyers of a sector into the same hall on pre-announced dates. The exhibiting company rents a plot, builds a stand on it and shows its products; the visitor sees the whole sector in a few days. A specialised fair serves one sector, a general fair serves the public with a broad range of products, and a B2B fair serves corporate buyers only. We design the stand around the different visitor profile of each of the three types.
Three types of fair
A specialised fair covers a single sector: machinery, packaging, textiles, food technology. The visitor is a professional of that sector, usually enters by invitation or registration and arrives with a specific need. Most large fairs in Türkiye are of this type; the calendars of Tüyap and Istanbul Expo Center fill with specialised fairs.
A general fair is open to the public and presents several sectors together; local trade fairs and home and living fairs belong here. Visitor numbers are high, conversations shallow. The stand works like a point of sale.
A B2B fair is open to corporate buyers only; entry is by pre-registration and usually paid. Conversations are few but each connects to a purchasing process. The stand design invests in meeting space rather than product display. Which stand type suits each of the three is compared on the stand types page.
How the decision to exhibit is made
The decision rests on the visitor profile, not the visitor count. The organiser publishes the visitor report of the previous edition: which sector, which job title, which country. If your target customer is not on that list, the fair will not work for you however crowded it is.
The second criterion is the presence of competitors. If the large players of your sector build stands at that fair, the buyer is there too. The exhibitor list is published months ahead; when choosing a plot we look at it and ask for a position near the main aisle, in the same hall as the competitors.
The third criterion is the calendar. Whether production, freight and build fit between today and the fair date is settled at the first meeting; six weeks for a domestic fair and eight for one abroad is a comfortable span. The fair calendar and the steps to exhibit are described on our exhibition stand services page.
How the fair type changes the stand
At a specialised fair the visitor knows the product; the stand shows the technical difference, and trial areas and cut samples come forward. The meeting area is seated and shielded from noise; the offer is discussed there.
At a general fair the visitor sees the product for the first time; the stand opens with one message, the product sits at eye level and within reach, and the counter is arranged for selling. The graphic surface carries large type and little text.
At a B2B fair the visitor comes by appointment; the stand works like an office: two or three closed meeting points, a presentation screen, a refreshment corner. Product display is kept small. The first question in our brief is the fair type, and the floor plan follows it; the process is written step by step on our design page.
Is an exhibition the same as a trade fair?
An exhibition shows the product; a trade fair sells it. A fair has fixed dates, an exhibitor list and a commercial purpose; an exhibition is mostly for promotion or culture. The logic of building a stand is the same in both.
Which type should a first-time exhibitor choose?
The specialised fair of its own sector. Visitors arrive prepared, conversations reach a conclusion quickly and the first fair produces a measurable result. A general fair is the second step.
How do I find out the type of a fair?
From the organiser’s exhibitor manual: the “visitor profile” section states whether the fair is open to the public or to professionals only. The official national fair calendar also lists the type of each fair.